Australian Formula 1 driver Mark Webber saidhere Wednesday that his country has utmost respect for Indian cricketingmaestro Sachin Tendulkar.
"Sachin Tendulkar has just been an incredible cricketerand one of the most amazing sportspersons the world has seen. Australians haveutmost respect for Tendulkar. The government, the people, everyone respectshim," said Webber, who drives for current constructors' World ChampionsRed Bull.
Australia Prime Minister Julia Gilliard recently conferredTendulkar with the Membership of the Order of Australia, an honour rarelybestowed on non-Australians. This did not go well with many Australians, whoquestioned whether the Indian batting legend should receive this honour.
However, Webber had a different take on it.
"We have given the Order of Australia to cricketersfrom other nations too. They have been doing it for a while now. We gave it toGarfield Sobers and Brian Lara. If we can give it to Lara then Tendulkarcertainly deserves it," said the 36-year-old.